Chapter 14 She called out "Brother" in her dream
Inside the carriage, the maid Han Yan asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, shall we go straight back to the manor?"
Given Her Majesty's current status, she can simply wait for the servants of the household to come and greet her.
When the Empress entered the city for inspection, she revealed her identity. Now, it's not just the Yan family who know the news; someone from the Prefect's side will also report it.
Yan Zhuyi slightly adjusted her posture, her gorgeous long dress cascading down in layers. She looked languid and composed, exuding confidence.
Waiting at the city gate is nothing compared to the grandeur of being greeted with utmost respect and hospitality.
Even the prefect had to personally visit her.
"Send a message to Prefect Lin, saying that I wish to catch up with Miss Xiu'er."
Han Yan understood and nodded in agreement. Lin Xiuer was the daughter of the prefect of Yangzhou, and had caused her young lady no shortage of trouble in the past. Things change, and she wondered what that high-and-mighty noble lady was plotting now.
When the carriage arrived at the Yan residence, Yan Zhuyi did not rush to get off and reunite with her family. She looked at the plaque hanging high above her head and smiled deeply.
From a humble residence to a grand mansion, from an eighth-rank official to a third-rank official, all of her father's honors were earned by her, the unloved daughter.
Yan Hongchang, accompanied by his wife Cai and his eldest son Yan Jincheng, ran out of the mansion gate and came to the carriage with red eyes. "Zhuyi, your father has been waiting for you to come back!"
The young master Yan Jincheng, who had just turned eighteen, reminded him, "Father, you should call my elder sister 'Your Majesty'."
Yan Hongchang bowed deeply and loudly proclaimed, "Your subject, Yan Hongchang, Commander of the Transport Commission, respectfully welcomes Your Highness back to your residence!"
A loud voice echoed in front of the mansion, revealing his pride and joy.
Yan Zhuyi rested her forehead on the carriage window, her deliberately upturned lips, bright and moist, somewhat jarring against her delicate features. Her initial pride and smugness vanished the moment she saw her father, replaced by an overwhelming resentment. She bent down and stepped out of the carriage, supported by her younger brother, leaving behind the words, "Father, please entertain our distinguished guests," before paying no further attention to her bowing father. She then took her arm from her nervous and anxious mother and entered the mansion through the main gate.
Ms. Cai, whose arm was being held, stiffened slightly; the daughter she had personally raised had become unapproachable.
"His Highness the Crown Prince sent many gifts ahead of time. Your mother and father are flattered and overwhelmed."
Cai spoke with a respectful and cautious tone, even choosing her words carefully when speaking casually.
"Mother, you are too kind. Since His Highness did not visit in person, it does not count as a gift."
Madam Cai quickly waved her hand, "How could we dare to hope that His Highness the Crown Prince would personally come to our door? This is already a great honor for us."
Yan Zhuyi knew that her mother was a sheltered housewife with no opinions of her own, who always obeyed her husband. She did not transfer her resentment to her mother, nor was she angry at her for not being assertive. She already knew that she had to fight for everything herself.
**
The return of the Crown Prince's concubine caused a sensation throughout the city, overshadowing the brilliance of the second-place scholar.
When Wei Qin and Jiang Yinyue knocked on the door, a familiar sound came from the quiet house. It was Madam Zhang, the eldest daughter-in-law, scolding her two children.
Grandpa Wei is still alive, and the two branches of the Wei family have not separated.
Wei Qin's father was the second son. The year after adopting Wei Qin, he and his wife, Gu, had a daughter named Wei Ying. Wei Ying was born with a weak constitution and was always taking medicine.
Upon hearing the knocking, Zhang kicked her son Wei Xin, saying, "You good-for-nothing, go open the door."
Wei Xin rubbed his buttocks and reluctantly opened the gate. Just as he was about to ask the other party's identity in an annoyed manner, his droopy little chubby face suddenly became exaggerated.
"Brother, brother, brother..."
"What's so low about it? Aren't you already considered inferior?"
Zhang stormed over, shoved her dumbfounded son aside, and her pointed chin was even longer than her son's.
"Achin... come on, everyone come out and see who's back!"
As the shrill voice rang out, the lights in each courtyard that had been extinguished were turned back on. Wei Qin's uncle, Wei Bochun, helped the old man out of the main house. Wei Qin's adoptive parents then arrived at the gate, followed closely by his younger sister, Wei Ying.
The family was surprised and overjoyed. The adoptive mother, Madam Gu, had tears in her eyes and grabbed Wei Qin's arm. "I've been waiting for you day and night. You've finally come back! You've lost weight and grown taller. Let me take a good look at you."
Suppressing his joy, the adoptive father, Wei Zhongchun, limped forward. Upon seeing the woman beside his son, he tugged hard at his wife's sleeve, "Daughter-in-law..."
Madam Gu missed her son so much that she didn't notice the young woman beside him. When she looked at Jiang Yinyue, she was too shy to say a word.
Old Master Wei was the one who kept things in check. He nudged his eldest son and said, "What are you standing there for? Quickly welcome our granddaughter-in-law into the house!"
Jiang Yinyue was ushered in amidst a flurry of activity, leaving her feeling utterly awkward. Having spent three years secluded herself at home, she had neglected social interactions and was finding it difficult to adjust, worried about making a fool of herself by misrepresenting someone.
But it was only a moment of confusion. Without Wei Qin's introduction, she folded her hands and bowed to the eldest elder of the Wei family, saying, "Granddaughter-in-law greets grandfather."
Old Master Wei was slightly flustered, then smiled and squinted his aged eyes, replying "Good, good, good" before turning to retrieve the gold bracelet passed down from his ancestors.
Jiang Yinyue glanced at the ankles of the other two elders, and first greeted the middle-aged man with normal legs and the woman beside him, "Greetings, Uncle and Aunt."
Wei Bochun smiled and agreed, then exchanged a glance with his wife, Zhang, and gestured for her to fetch the gift that had been prepared beforehand.
Madam Zhang rubbed her elongated chin and hurriedly went to her own courtyard, afraid that if she was a step too late, her niece-in-law, who came from a high-ranking family, would think that the Wei family was being impolite.
Jiang Yinyue then looked at another couple and continued to bow, but her tone suddenly became embarrassed.
"Father."
"Mother."
Wei Zhongchun and Madam Gu stepped forward simultaneously, even more embarrassed than Jiang Yinyue. They had imagined their daughter-in-law's appearance and demeanor, which were quite similar to their son's description in his letters, but seeing her in person, they still felt a kind of shyness, like someone returning home with trepidation.
Compared to the taciturn couple, Zhang's daughter, Wei Huan, was more sociable. She stepped forward generously, curtsied, and said, "Huan'er greets Second Sister-in-law."
Jiang Yinyue looked at the woman in front of her who was about the same age as herself, smiled and nodded, but her gaze unconsciously swept past Wei Huan and looked at the other sister-in-law.
The younger sister, Wei Ying, looked at the glamorous and elegant lady from a wealthy family. Unlike her older cousin, Wei Huan, who rushed forward to get close to her without any regard for others, she stood at the farthest distance, carefully observing her sister-in-law's appearance with a mixture of curiosity and timidity.
Wei Qin raised his hand, "Ying'er, come here."
Wei Ying was frail and walked with a frail gait. Before she could speak, she choked up, "Sister-in-law... Sister-in-law."
It lacked the delicate, sweet voice of a young woman; its voice was soft and tinged with a cough.
Jiang Yinyue helped her up, nodded in response, and smiled with a hint of pity. What young woman would willingly spend her prime years with medicine, never leaving her home, and being called a "medicine pot"?
After exchanging greetings with everyone, Jiang Yinyue followed Wei Qin to the main hall of the courtyard, where she received warm greetings from her family.
It was late at night. After struggling to stay awake several times, Old Master Wei sat down in the main seat and dozed off, snoring loudly.
Wei Bochun felt ashamed and called his simple-minded son to help the old man back into the house.
The late-night snack that Mrs. Zhang had prepared was also stopped amidst the old man's snoring.
Worried that her son and daughter-in-law would be tired, Madam Gu made an excuse to send her family away and led the young couple to her and her husband's courtyard to arrange accommodation.
Entering the east wing where Wei Qin lived, Jiang Yinyue carefully examined the spotless furniture. Although the materials were not expensive, they were clean and elegant.
Unlike the Jiang family mansion, the Wei family residence was small, and the side rooms were not spacious. There was no bathing area for washing and grooming; instead, there was a bath tub set up only by a screen partition.
Jiang Yinyue's almond-shaped eyes sparkled as she gazed at the bathtub.
“Wei Qin…”
Wei Qin nodded, filled the bathtub, and walked towards the door, saying, "I'm going to distribute the gifts."
Jiang Yinyue, whose wish had been fulfilled, was filled with thoughts of bathing. She closed the door, quickly took off her clothes, and plunged into the somewhat hot water. She scooped up a handful of water, rubbed her skin with soap, and experienced the blissful feeling of being in her own water.
Finally, I can wash away the fatigue from the journey.
She lifted her small, delicate white feet and placed them on the edge of the tub, swinging them back and forth. Although her personal maid, Hongmei, was not there to serve her tea and water, she felt comfortable enough.
Wei Qin's bedroom was simple and clean, exuding a woody fragrance that matched Wei Qin's fresh and clean aura, making her feel comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.
That's good enough, isn't it?
Contentment brings happiness.
She smiled. Compared to being cautious and timid in front of the Emperor and Empress, her current in-laws made her feel the warmth and ease of an ordinary family, which was undoubtedly more suitable for her carefree personality. As for her husband... Wei Qin was a thousand times, ten thousand times better than the Crown Prince!
She gave a soft hum and stood up unconsciously, inexplicably immersed in pride, unaware that she hadn't prepared a change of nightgown.
One should never lose sight of what is right.
With a splash, she plunged back into the water, staring longingly at the unlocked door, hoping that Wei Qin would return soon and stop lingering with his family.
There was no water clock in the bedroom, and the moonlight cast a dim shadow on the window. The woman in the bathtub fell asleep unknowingly during the long wait, not even noticing the knocking on the door.
"Crunch."
The door was pushed open from the outside, and Wei Qin's tall figure was shrouded in the shadow of the moon. He walked into the room and slowly approached the bathtub. His gaze froze slightly, and he felt that the scene before him was different from the scenes in the novels he occasionally read. There was no vulgarity or eroticism, and the whiteness was somewhat dazzling.
Wei Qin disliked the love stories his classmates kept when he was young, simply because he was heartless and unwilling to get involved in romance. However, he still witnessed the bright moon from his proximity to the water.
"Miss."
He called out softly, bent down, and lifted the person out of the water.
With the sound of rushing water, the sleeping woman was suddenly startled, her drowsy consciousness snapping back to reality. She stared in astonishment at the man's jaw, her body stiffening.
The man's fingertips, through the cloth, pressed against her arms and the backs of her legs, and he could clearly feel the rough calluses on them.
Why would a scholar have calluses on his fingertips? Perhaps it's related to his experience training horses in his youth, or perhaps it's related to martial arts. Jiang Yinyue didn't care about these details; she just wanted to look down at herself, but she felt embarrassed and was afraid that the thin cloth wouldn't cover her sensitive areas.
She pressed her knees together, staring intently at Wei Qin's profile. In the dim light, the man's deep-set eyes and straight nose outlined a stunningly beautiful profile.
The darkness draped him in a magnificent cloak, making him appear aloof and noble.
The aura of a prince or duke is nothing more than this.
In the night, Wei Qin gained an air of natural mystery.
When Jiang Yinyue was placed on the small couch next to the bed, she was still in a daze. Only when Wei Qin knelt down in front of her did she quickly tighten the cloth covering her body.
Jiang Yinyue wanted to say something to ease the awkwardness, but then she saw Wei Qin reach out his hand, as if to wipe her body.
"No, no need."
Perhaps startled, her voice was barely audible, barely audible.
Wei Qin paused, his hand still gripping the cloth. "I've been serving you all the way here, Miss."
How could this be the same? Jiang Yinyue wrapped her handkerchief tightly around herself and shrank back, avoiding the hand that was cast in shadow by the candlestick. She had never been naked in front of him before and could not adapt to being "open" with him.
"clothes."
Seeing the woman's face fall, Wei Qin lowered his thick eyelashes and silently dried her exposed feet and calves before going to fetch her clothes.
Jiang Yinyue peeked out, feeling flustered. She didn't mean to be disgusted; she just couldn't accept that she was barely clothed.
"I don't......"
"fine."
Wei Qin put down the clothes, didn't look at the somewhat remorseful woman, and turned to leave quietly.
Jiang Yinyue always felt that she was bullying Wei Qin, who was both dull and sensitive. However, Wei Qin was not the type to be bullied or manipulated. He was full of contradictory energy, his vitality was frozen, forming an invisible barrier.
It is difficult for outsiders to see into his inner self.
After spending a long time with him, even Jiang Yinyue became conflicted. On the one hand, she hoped that things could develop naturally between them, but on the other hand, she declared that if Wei Qin could meet a woman he liked, he could ask her for a divorce.
A woman who dislikes being entangled in contradictions tries her best to eliminate distracting thoughts.
She changed into her nightgown, ran to the door, and pulled the man standing under the moonlight back into the room.
Wei Qin felt cold, and Jiang Yinyue reminded him, "Take a bath first."
Wei Qin looked up at her, but her gaze was unfocused. She turned away and said, "I won't look at you."
It was pitch black outside, and she didn't want to wait outside. Besides, if her in-laws saw her, they would inevitably try to probe her with their words.
She heard the sound of clothes being undressed behind her, but Jiang Yinyue kept her promise and didn't turn around. She found the top cabinet, took out the bedding her mother-in-law had prepared in advance, and folded it on the canopy bed.
"Tonight...don't sleep on the floor tonight."
**
The night was still, and fallen leaves drifted across the river, reflecting the moonlight and floating away on the clear, shimmering water.
Spring comes earlier in Yangzhou than in the capital.
Moonlight streamed through the window paper. Jiang Yinyue lay on the inside of the beechwood canopy bed, giving most of the bed space to Wei Qin.
This is the Wei family home; she can't usurp someone else's place. Jiang Yinyue moved further in, trying to make everyone feel comfortable. She couldn't predict what the future held or how far she could go alongside Wei Qin. For now, she had to maintain the proper demeanor of a daughter-in-law and not let the Wei family suspect anything.
They are allies who can gracefully dissolve their ties when things naturally fall into place.
"Go to sleep."
She turned her back to Wei Qin and acted very naturally.
Wei Qin stood by the bed, his face tense. After a long silence, he blew out the lamp, lifted the corner of the quilt, and lay down.
The canopy bed, with its curtains still drawn, was shrouded in silence.
The scent of soapberry blended subtly with the warm fragrance emanating from the woman, eerily intertwining in the darkness.
The two lay quietly, the blankets separated by a bowl's width, yet an inexplicable awkwardness filled the bed.
Jiang Yinyue lay motionless on her side, remaining silent despite the aching in her back and waist. She smelled the cotton wadding of the bedding and the medicinal scent of the pillow, but couldn't fall asleep.
The faint scent of soapberry overcame the tranquility created by the cotton wadding and medicinal pillow. It was the aura emanating from Wei Qin. He hadn't done anything, yet he had stirred Jiang Yinyue's restlessness.
The two, who had not consummated their marriage for three years, were not sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams; rather, they were always awake and dreamless.
A moment later, the oppressive feeling beside her suddenly disappeared. Jiang Yinyue turned her head and saw Wei Qin sit up.
"I'm going to sleep on the floor."
"Come back." Jiang Yinyue pouted and tugged at Wei Qin's sleeve. "What will my in-laws think of our relationship if they see this?"
She had originally left the capital to relax, and didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.
Wei Qinshun leaned forward, his slender body slightly close to Jiang Yinyue. Through the thin moonlight, he could vaguely see the woman's fair and pretty face, and unconsciously his eyes narrowed.
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze, Jiang Yinyue loosened her grip on his sleeve and leaned back. She was agitated by this strange and unfamiliar feeling. She had always treated Wei Qin as a collaborator. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, they should both know the truth. But the way this taciturn man looked at her was deep and unfathomable.
"Wei..."
"Miss, please go to sleep first."
Jiang Yinyue was still troubled by the strange ambiguity earlier, so she didn't stop him. She needed to be alone. After Wei Qin left in his long robe, she fanned the heat emanating from her body and crawled into the quilt, covering her head.
Without the cool, masculine scent, she, a good sleeper, quickly drifted into a dream, her dark eyelashes fluttering rhythmically with her breaths, completely unaware of when Wei Qin had returned.
Looking at the motionless "zongzi" (a type of rice dumpling), Wei Qin pulled down the blanket to prevent Jiang Yinyue from being suffocated by him.
The sleeping woman had lost her sharp edges of self-defense, becoming gentle and serene, much like a sleepy and unsuspecting kitten.
Wei Qin gently brushed her cheek with his fingers, and a hint of warmth softened his perpetually icy and expressionless face. "Miss."
He gently called to her as she slept, a ripple of emotion stirring in his dark eyes.
The sound of water brushed past her ears; it was the sound of him stirring her as he lifted her from the bathtub.
At that moment, the water droplets on the girl's skin soaked through his sleeves, spreading out in a dampness, softness and hardness pressed together, fitting perfectly, stirring a flutter in his heart.
The moment we shared a bed only intensified this flutter of emotion.
Wei Qin slowly leaned forward, his trembling lips gradually approaching Jiang Yinyue's cheek, the kiss even lighter than a dragonfly skimming the water.
The large hand supporting him on the blanket showed clearly visible blue veins.
But the next moment, the woman's unintentional ramblings in her sleep caused Wei Qin's dark eyes, which had been rippling with emotion, to darken.
"elder brother."
Wei Qin sat in the darkness, gazing silently at the woman. After a long while, he got up and left.
Is the elder brother Jiang Taolue or her crown prince brother?
A note from the author:
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